Taurus

April 19-May 20

You've been through a lot recently—and I am sure you'd be grateful if things would cool off. Take any opportunity to slow down, remove commitments from your schedule, and give yourself a chance to focus inwardly. Consider each of the past five or so episodes in your life and notice how many would have benefited from extra introspection beforehand. Events in the early part of the month will repeat that reminder, serving as encouragement to understand yourself before you engage too deeply with others. This is the best way to keep your center and also to prevent yourself from getting into situations that are so deep you cannot see a way out or a way through. At the same time, you're being invited to go deeper with others, or with someone in particular, and it may seem like you have to make a decisive move before too long. I would remind you of a fact often overlooked in our romance-obsessed world: Your first relationship is to yourself. That statement may be the ultimate blasphemy against the prevailing relationship mythology, though it's based on the notion that you cannot relate to anyone unless you have a self to do that relating with. Once you do that habitually, it will be clearer what to do with others.